Battery life

With the original lithium battery I took about 50 pictures in a couple of days. Now the frame counter is beyond 60 and the original lithium battery is still alive, but starts warning it’s no longer fully charged. I believe it can reach about 100 pictures before a replacement will be necessary, as opposed to 500 pictures as stated in the instruction manual. Here an explanation about the battery is needed. Why do manufacturers always give you false data about battery life and the number of pictures you can take with it? What are those alien manufacturers’ test conditions extending so much the duration of a camera battery to an extent you’ll see nowhere on planet Earth?

I made some tests and discovered that if you shoot and shoot continuously, you’ll probably get close to what manufacturers say about number of shots allowed by a good fresh battery. The problem is that in real life you’ll switch the camera on, frame your subject, change the lens focal length, and then sometimes even decide not to take a picture at all. Also, often you have to check the menu settings. Then you’ll switch the camera off, or maybe you’ll view some stored pictures, then you’ll download them to your PC. Also, as you switch between shooting and replay modes, the lens will automatically retract and extend a lot of times, not to speak if you leave the camera on, ready for shooting for some time. Sooner or later (sooner than you think!) the auto power off will switch the camera off for power saving and protecting the lens, but each operation will need some extra power. At the end, most of power will be gone for auxiliary operation, not for actual picture taking, and all of your efforts for not using the LCD more than necessary, will bring little results. My advice? Find the best way for having plenty of power. Be sure to carry with you more than one set of good rechargeable batteries (NiMH for the Optio 230, Li-Ion for the 330/430) and never forget to recharge all of them as soon as possible. That’s the only way for not being so often short of power, with a camera only good as a paperweight.

Conclusions

Well, I have to admit that the Optio 230 seriously challenges my Optio 330, especially with its quick response when depressing the release button, its lens quality and improved macro capability.

Its larger size compared to the 330/430 is not so large at all, and it won’t be enough of a reason for your choice, while its lower price can make the difference. The foldout screen and the 3D mode are not essential to me, while I’d miss the manual exposure setting.

The plastic body can be less appealing, but not so much. Somebody could also find it a plus, since it makes the Optio 230 less a jewel to worry about when carrying it with you all the time. On the other hand, the Optio 330/430 are true gems that can fascinate you, and the new 330RS/430RS are even more appealing, if possible (and they even feature quick response shutter release!).